Rapper Ludacris said on Twitter: "There is a certain void in hip hop's heart that can never be filled. Glad we got to make history together."

Hale was born in Long Beach.

He got his start with Snoop Doggy Dogg and Warren G in a Long Beach-area band called 213. He later recorded with Dr. Dre on "The Chronic" and appeared in Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Doggystyle," according to Times reports.